2025 New England Showdown Recap

This past weekend at Rhode Island College in Providence, the 2025 New England Showdown took place. Wrestlers from all six New England states — and several from New York — gathered to compete in this prestigious event.

By the Numbers

Participants by State (school location):

68 – Massachusetts

34 – Rhode Island

24 – Connecticut

20 – New York

11 – New Hampshire

4 – Maine

4 – Vermont

Participants by School (4+):

New York Military Academy (NY) – 7

Ridgefield (CT) – 5

Mt. Hope (RI), New Bedford (MA), Northfield Mt. Hermon (MA), Scituate (RI), Shoreham-Wading River (NY) – 4 each

Standout Performances and Storylines

Upset of the Tournament

The gym erupted during the 113-pound semifinals when three-seed Reid Grandmason (Exeter, NH) turned and pinned two-seed Cole Desiano (Ridgefield, CT). Desiano led 3–0 and chose bottom in the second period, but Grandmason threw in the legs and secured the fall with about 20 seconds left in the period — one of the tournament’s loudest moments.

Douangmala’s Exciting Run

Few wrestlers had a weekend like Robert Douangmala (Mount St. Charles, RI). The newly reclassified sophomore made his mark in the 138-pound bracket, entering as the three-seed and going 4–0 on the day. In the finals, he earned a decisive 4–1 victory over NHSCA All-American Evan Boulard (Massabesic, ME) to claim his first Showdown title.

The 157-Pound Finals: NYMA Teammates Collide

The 157-pound bracket may have been the toughest of the tournament. Both the one and two seeds — Waylan Winseman and Shea Morris — wrestle for New York Military Academy, where they continue to battle for the starting spot. Winseman had won their previous meeting, but this time, Morris came out on top in overtime. With the season approaching, a third wrestle-off between the two may be inevitable.

Burroughs’ MOW Performance

The Most Outstanding Wrestler award went to Preston Burroughs (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA), who dominated from start to finish. Burroughs recorded two technical falls and a first-period pin in the finals, outscoring his opponents 41–7 and spending just 7 minutes and 48 seconds on the mat throughout the tournament.

The Heavyweight Super Match

The heavyweight final lived up to its billing as a true super match. Top-seeded James Bechter (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA) — the No. 1 prep wrestler in the prep Class of 2026 — faced second-seeded Matt Harrold (Haverhill, MA), ranked No. 4 among public school wrestlers in the same class. Bechter, an Ohio native and dominant heavyweight, struck first to take a 3–0 lead. Harrold battled back with a reversal but couldn’t overcome Bechter’s strength and balance, as Bechter added two more takedowns to seal a 9–5 victory.

The Freshman Presence

Several freshmen made their mark at this year’s tournament, signaling a bright future for the region’s wrestling scene. Lucas Copper (Central Catholic, MA) dominated the 120-pound bracket, cruising to a championship victory. Teammates Sam Winship impressed with a runner-up finish at 106 pounds, while Connor Welock battled through to claim fifth at 150. Logan Barry (Scituate, RI) also turned heads — after falling 8–1 to Copper in the semifinals, he regrouped and fought his way back to finish third.

Finals Results

106: Sam Floody (RI) MD Sam Winship (MA) 8–0

113: Antoine Jackman (MA) Dec. Reid Grandmason (NH) 6–3

120: Lucas Copper (NH/MA) Fall 1:49 Kai Nappadow-Baquero (MA)

126: Brayden Boccia (MA) Dec. Charlie Ford (RI) 9–7

132: Lukas Boxley (CT/RI) Fall 3:50 Thomas Nguyen (MA)

138: Rob Douangmala (RI) Dec. Evan Boulard (ME) 4–1

144: Anthony Moreno (NY) Dec. UTB2 Johnny Carrozza (CT) 2–1

150: Isaiah McDaniel (CT) Dec. Alex Lamarre (CT) 4–0

157: Shea Morris (MA/NY) Dec. UTB2 Waylan Winseman (NY) 2–1

165: Matthew Pappas (RI) Tec. 3:21 Cameron Bonnell (MA) 17–2

175: Preston Burroughs (RI/MA) Fall 1:46 Cael Wilderman (CT) — Most Outstanding Wrestler

190: Braeden Simoneaux (LA/NY) Fall 1:57 Dante Richardson (RI)

215: Will Francis (RI) Fall 3:55 Owen Pavao (MA)

285: James Bechter (OH/MA) Dec. Matthew Harrold (MA) 9–5

3rd Place Results

106: Edrian Oliva-Bojoquez (MA) Tec. 4:00 Max Shvartsman 16–1

113: Cole Desiano (CT) MD Brayden Buchanan (VT) 11–0

120: Logan Barry (RI) Dec. Steven Santiago (MA) 7–0

126: Noah Caisse (CT) MD Luke Iasiello (NY) 12–0

132: Jake Kaler (NH) Med. For. Landon Herdic (CT/NY)

138: Matthew Mercado (NY) MD Edward Donlon (MA) 12–4

144: James Lally (MA) Dec. James Rocco (RI) 5–3

150: Henry McElligot (MA) Tec. 3:00 Will Lavallee (MA) 16–0

157: Anthony Lombardi (RI) Fall :49 Kyle McCarthy (RI)

165: Jon Schroff (NY) MD Shane Ryan (CT) 9–0

175: Harrison Mueller (CT) Fall :58 Cole Seuss (NH) 3-0

190: Kyle Lindblad (NH) Dec. Landon Fitzsimmons (RI) 9–6

215: Seth Allaben (WA/MA) Dec. Will Buffington (MA) 5–2

285: Jacob Brengolini (ME) Dec. Hadrian Duncan (RI) 12–5

5th Place Results

106: Thomas Matias (NY) Fall 3:31 Jesus Gomez-Hernandez (CT)

113: Caden Barbera (RI) Fall 2:18 Mason Barbosa (RI)

120: Joshua Pierre-Paul (NY) MD Logan Medeiros (RI) 13–2

126: Jase Stanizone (CT) Dec. Josiah Martins-Semedo (MA) 5–2

132: Dylan Wright (MA) Dec. Michael Canova (MA) 10–5

138: Aydin Schifino (RI) Dec. Alexander Javier (MA) 3–0

144: Ben Walton (NH) MD Abdullah Peterson (RI) 8–0

150: Connor Welock (MA) Dec. Matthew Dudley (MA) 7–3

157: Emrick Henry (CT) Dec. Jacob Critchfield (NH) 5–1

165: Blake Watkins (CT) Dec. Kaelib Reynolds (MA) 10–6

175: Tim Williams (NJ/NY) Dec. Jack Lily (CT) 6–5

190: Wyatt Podliesky (CT) Win via Forfeit

215: Jackson Bowden (RI) Tec. 4:55 James Como (NY) 18–0

285: Nerivaldo Detrinidade (MA) Dec. Scott Santos (MA) 6–5

Wrap-Up

With the high school season just weeks away, the New England Showdown once again brought together some of the top athletes in the region, giving them a taste of the high-level competition they’ll face this winter. The event not only sharpens wrestlers but also builds anticipation among fans eager to see how these early-season matchups translate once the duals and state tournaments begin. Between upsets, breakout performances, and statement wins, the 2025 New England Showdown reaffirmed its place as one of the premier wrestling tournaments in the Northeast.